Single-pole double transfer switch



Jun 18, 1929. v c, F, JAME 1.717.383

SINGLE FOLE DOUBLE TRANSFER SWITCH Filed Sept. 14, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5& SL131.

Ch 6 1/0 7 96, gwwntm 6-661: a51 Z I, m I aflozncq June18, 1929. c, JAMES I 1.717.383

SINGLE POLE DOUBLE TRANSFER SWITCH Filad Sept. 14, 1 926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /1 w o am F u 8 0 7798, gwwmtoz Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES CHARLES F. JAMES, OF TAPLIN, WEST VIRGINIA.

SINGLE-POLE DOUBLE TRANSFER SWITCH.

Application filed September 14, 1926. Serial No. 135,427.

This invention relates to electric switches and pertains particularly to a switch device designed to be used primarily upon an electric vehicle, such as an electric locomotive.

The primary object of the invention is the provision. in a. manner hereinafter set forth, of a. switch designed particularly for use upon electric mine engines.

As is well known in mining operations the electric engines employed for hauling cars are provided with a trolley pole which is used to collect current from a power line, up to cer tain points and, in order to take these engines on to side lines to pick up cars the trolley pole must be removed from the power line and there is then connected to the line one end of a flexible cable which is wound upon a drum on. the locomotive, and, as the locomotive moves onto the side line this cable is un wound. At the present time a hand operated switch is employed for diverting the current from the trolley pole line to the cable line and it frequently happens that serious accidents result when the switch is thrown before disengaging the trolley pole, or after attaching the end of the cable, to the power line.

The switch embodying this invention is designed to overcome these dangers by providing means whereby the trolley pole will act, after being lowered from the power line to be positioned under a holding member, to throw the switch so that the current can be conveyed to the locomotive through the flexible cable mentioned, after the same has been attached to the power line. The switch is also so constructed that the pole cannot be removed from its holding member for replacement on the power line without acting upon the switch to reverse it, to set the circuit so that the current will be conducted through the pole directly to the motor control apparatus. Due to this manner of operation no current is passing through the switch when the same is altered and therefore, no arcing takes place between the switch points and consequently the burning of the switch, which so commonly happens in hand operated switches, does not re sult.

A further and final object of this invention is the provision, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, of a switch of the character above described which will be positive in its action, safe, strong and durable and having few moving or replacing parts.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration. of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to-any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings, but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows the switch structure embodying this invention in side elevation.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the rear of the structure.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section.

Figure 4 is a front view of the switch structure with the cover plate removed to show the interior construction.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section taken transversely through the switch.

Figure (5 is a horizontal transverse section.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of a modified form of the switch.

Figure 8 is a detail view of the trolley pole engaging arms, showing the manner in which the same are attached to and insulated from, these switch contact elements.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is indicated by the numeral 1 a body or block of wood, fibre or other hard insulation material, having the chamber 2 formed therein which chamber opens through one side wall of the body through the passage 3, the side walls 4 of which passage diverge outwardly as shown in Figure 3. Secured against each of the walls 4, is the contact plate 5, each of which plates is formed at its outer end to provide the angular extension 6 which is designed to lie against the outer face of the block 1 as shown in Figure 3, and projecting at right angles from the free end of each extension 6 is a terminal. the upper terminal being indicated by the numeral 7 while the lower one is indicated by the numeral 8. Any suitable securing elements 9 such as screws, bolts or the like, may be employed for attaching the plates 5 to their respective walls. A cover plate 10 of insulation is provided to overlie the open end of the passage 3, covering the wall through which this passage opens and suitable securing elements 11 are passed through the plate into the wall to fasten the plate in position.

Formed in one side of the body 1 1s a recess 12 and against the inner wall of this recess there is secured a copper plate 13, the lower portion of the plate being extended at rlght angles outwardly and projecting from the recess as shown in Figure 5, to set up a terminal 14. In the opposite wall of the body 1 there is sunk a plate 15, preferably formed of copper, the upper port-ion of this plate, as well as the upper plate 13, extending beyond the longitudinal center of the body. Secur ing bolts 16 are passed through the body 1 and plates 13 and 15, securing the same to-.

gether in electrical connection, at the same time that they act to secure the plates in their respective positions. A cover plate 17 1s employed to close the recess 12' to protect certain connections within this recess which will be described hereinafter.

Extending through the side wall of the body 1 in which the plate 13 is set, from the interior of the recess 2, is a pin or stub shaft 18 at the inner end of which there is formed a head 19 having a transverse slot formed through the end thereof as indicated at 20. This pin is formed of copper or other electricity conducting material and the outer end thereof extends through and is electrical- 1y connected to the plate 13. A pig tail connection 21 connects the outer end of the shaft 18 with one of the bolts 16, as shown in Figure 3. r

Extending through the opposite side wall,-

in alignment with the stub shaft 18, is a simi lar shaft 22, having a head 23 at the inner end, which is within the chamber 3 and which is provided with a slot 24: extending across the end thereof. The outer end of this shaft 22 extends through the plate 15 and has electrieal connection therewith and formed transversely through this outer end is a passage 25.

Arranged within the chamber 2 is a swinging contact plate 26, preferably formed of copper, having extending from the inner edge thereof the spaced legs 27 which, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, extend through the slots 20 and 24 of the respective stub shafts 1 8 and 22. Suitable securing elements 28 are passed through the heads 19 and 23 to engage the legs of the contact member 26 to hold the same in position.

Extending through the body 1 and through the rear of the chamber 2 is an elongated pin or screw 29, this screw extending transversely.

of the pivotal axis of the element 26, as shown. Engaging about the pin 29 is a sheave 30 carrying a pulley wheel 31 which is designed to move upon the pin and, connecting the sheave with the contact element 26 at the centralportion of the rear edge As will be readily seen from a study of Figure 3, when the on which the element 26 swings.

Secured vertically upon the back of the body 1 is an inverted substantially J shaped member which constitutes a holding element, indicated generally by the numeral 33, for the trolley pole of an electric locomotive upon which the switch is designed to be used. This holding element 33 is arranged adjacent that side edge of the body through which the shaft 22 extends. The lower portion of the body 33 is extended beyond the body 1 as indicated at 34 and is provided with an aperture 35 for the passage of a securing element, so that the lower portion of this member 33 may be employed to secure the switch structure to a locomotive.

Fixed in the passage 25 of the shaft 22 is a sleeve 36 ofinsulation. Extending through this sleeve 36 is the tail portion 37 of a substantially Y shaped trolley pole engaging member indicated generally by the numeral 38. The divergent arms 39 of this member extend across the side of the body 1 through which the shaft 22 projects, toward the rear of the body, and overlie the downturned hook portion of the holding element 33 as shown in Figure 1.

lVhen the trolley pole of the locomotive to which this switch is attached, is held in down position by the element 33, the arms 39 of the member 38 will be arranged in the position shown in Figure 1, that is, one of the arms will be so located that the pole cannot be removed from the holding element without acting upon the element 38 to swing it downwardly and consequently swing the contact 26 of the switch. When the pole is removed from the holding element the arms 39 will be left in the downwardly directed position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 so that, when the pole is again lowered and placed in the holding element it will again swing the contact plate 26 to shift the switch. When the pole of the locomotive is being held by the element 33 the plate 26 will be in the down position in contact with that plate 5 which is connected to another current element of the locomotive and, when the pole is removed from the holding element, the plate 26 will be swung upwardly to engage that plate 5 which receives current from the locomotive trolley pole to convey the same through the terminal let to the locomotive control apparatus (not shown).

A cover plate 40 is provided for the protection of the outer end of the shaft 22 and of the plate 15 which is embedded in the side wall of the body 1, to protect outside objects from contacting with this shaft and plate.

too

This cover plate is preferably made of insulat-ion.

i In Figure 7, there is shown a slight modification of the foregoing described structure and herein the terminals 41 and 42, which have the same connections secured thereto as the terminals 7 and 8 of the other structure, are connected to the spaced contact plate 43 by the hinge connection 44 and set into each wall of the passage, against which the plates 43 bear, is a spring 45 which normally acts to urge the plates 43 outwardly. Any suitable means may be employed for preventing the plates from being too great a distance outwardly. A resilient contact is thus made between the plates 43 and the swinging contact 46. This contact 46 is mounted in the same manner as the contact plate 26, and therefore, description of the mounting means will not be gone into. This plate 46 is held by a spring 47 the rear end of which is fixed to the pin 48 as indicated at 49, at a point upon the pin in the same plane as the pivotal axis of the plate. It will thus be seen that this spring gives a snap action to the plate when the same is swung toward either of the plates 43, after the swinging plate passes the central position between these plates.

A pigtail connection 50 is preferably employed to bridge between the terminals 41 and 42 and their associate plates 43.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A switch of the character described, comprising a pair of spaced contacts, a swinging take off contact pivotally mounted therebetween, a holding element extending rearwardly of the swinging contact and an element for throwing the contact beyond the center to hold the same in engagement with a fixed contact, means mounted adjacent said contacts for holding a trolley pole in down position, and means extending from and controlling said swinging contact, arranged to be operated by said pole when being placed in or removed from said holding means, for shifting the swinging contact from one of the spaced contacts to the other.

A switch of the character described, comprising a switch body, having a chamber formed therein, a current take-off holding means carried by the body, a pair of spaced contact elements within said chamber, a swinging current takeoff contact arranged between the spaced elements a laterally ex tending pivot member at each side of the swinging contact extending through the side walls of said chamber, means carried upon one end of said pivot members, exteriorly of the body, across said holding means, designed to be actuated when a pole is placed in or removed from the holding means, to throw said swinging contact.

A switch of the character described comprising, a switch body having a chamber formed therein, a pair of spaced contact elements within said chamber, a swinging current take off contact arranged between the spaced elements, a laterally extending pivot member at each side of the swinging contact extending through the side walls of said chamber, means carried by said body for receiving and holding a car trolley pole, means carried upon one end of said pivot members, exteriorly of the body, across said holding means, designed to be actuated when a pole is placed in or removed from the holding means to throw said swinging contact, and means connecting said swinging contact with the body for imparting a snap action thereto when swung beyond its center position toward either of the spaced contacts.

4. A switch element adapted for use in connection with electric locomotives employing a swinging collector pole and a flexible current collector element, comprising a body adapted to be secured to the locomotive, means for receiving and holding said pole in lowered position, a pair of spaced contacts within the body one connected to said pole and the other to said flexible element, a swinging contact between said spaced contacts, a pivot shaft projecting from each side of the swinging contact through the adjacent wall of said body, a current take off contact connected with said shafts, and means carried by one of said shafts and lying in the path of travel of the pole when the same is moving into or out of the holding means therefor, designed to be swung by the pole to actuate the swinging contact.

5. A switch element adapted for use in connection with electric-locomotives employing a swinging collector pole and a flexible current collector element, comprising a body adapted to be secured to the locomotive, means for receiving and holding said pole in lowered position, a pair of spaced contacts within the body one connected with said pole and the other to said flexible element, a swing ing contact between said spaced contacts, a pivot shaft projecting from each side of the swinging contact through the adjacent wall of said body, a current take ofi contact connected with said shafts, means carried by one of said shafts and lying in the pat-h of travel of the pole when same is moving into or out of the holding means therefor, designed to be swung by the pole to actuate the swinging contact, and a tension element connecting to the swinging contact and acting to snap the contact to engaging position when the same is swung beyond its center position between the spaced contacts.

6. A switch element adapted for use in connection with electric locomotives employing a swinging collector pole and a flexible current collector element, comprising a body adapted to be secured to the locomotive, means for receiving and holding said pole in lowered position, a pair of spaced contacts within the body one connected with said pole and the other to said flexible element, a swinging contact between said spaced contacts, a pivot shaft projecting from each side of the swinging contact through the adjacent wall of said body, a current take ofi contact connected with said shafts, means carried by one of said shafts and lying in the path of travel of the pole when same is moving into or out of the holding means therefor, designed to be swung by th pole to actuate'the swinging contact, and a tension element connecting to the swinging contact and acting to snap said contact to engaging position when the same is swung beyond its center position between the spaced contacts, said ension element having one end secured to move transversely -of the pivotal axis of the swinging contact.

7; A switch element adapted for use in connection with electric locomotives employing a swinging collector pole and a flexible current collector element, comprising a body adapted to be secured to the locomotive, means for receiving and holding said pole in lowered position, a pair of spaced contacts within the body one connected to said pole and the other to said flexible element, a swinging contact between said spaced contacts, a pivot shaft projecting from each side of the swinging contact through the adjacent wall of said body, a current take off contact connected with one of said shafts, and a substantially Y shaped element having the tail thereof connected to and insulated from one end of one of said shafts and having the arms arranged in the path of travel of the pole to cause the same toengage therebetween when moved into orfrom said holding means, to shift the' swinging contact.

8. A switch structure of the character described, comprising a hollow shell body, a terminal contact plate within said shell, a shiftable contact element within the shell adapted to swing toward or away from said terminal contact for setting up electrical connection therewith and laterally projecting stub shafts carried by saidswinging contact and projecting through the walls of said body for connection with an actuating member. 7

9. In a switch structure of the character described, a pair of terminals, apair of contact plates, each pivotally attached to a terminal and normally arranged with their free ends in convergent relation, a tal e-off contact arranged between the pivoted contacts, means for swinging said take-off contact for selective engagement with the pivoted contacts, and means for resiliently supporting said pivoted contacts, substantially as described.

10. In a switch structure of the character described, a pair of terminals, a pair of contact plates, each pivotally attached to a terminal and normally arranged with their free ends in convergent relation, a take-off contact arrangedbetween the pivoted contacts, means for swinging said take-off contact for selective engagement with the pivoted contacts, means for resiliently supporting said pivoted contacts, and means for imparting a snap action to said take-ofif contact when the same is swung for engagement with either of the pivoted contacts.

In testimony whereof CHARLES F. JAMES.

I ailix my signature. 

